Device for coupling together a tube and a filter housing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for using various types of coupling system to connect together a tube ( 2 ) and a filter housing ( 3 ). According to the invention, the device comprises: 
     a head plate ( 21 ) independent of the type of coupling system, the head plate being fixed to the housing ( 3 ) and being provided with passages ( 22 ) opening out into a bearing face ( 23 ) of the head plate; 
     for each backing-plate (P i ) of given type, a first bearing face ( 25 ) complementary to the bearing face ( 23 ) of the head plate ( 21 ) and a second bearing face ( 29 ) adapted to co-operate with a flange (B 1 ) of corresponding type; 
     a sealing gasket ( 28 ) interposed between the first bearing face ( 25 ) of a backing-plate (P i ) of a given type and the head plate ( 21 ); and 
     releasable connection means ( 30 ) between the head plate ( 21 ) and each backing-plate (P 1 ) of a given type in order to provide sealing between them.

This application is a continuation of International Patent ApplicationNo. PCT/FR03/00900, filed Mar. 21, 2003. This PCT application was not inEnglish as published under PCT Article 21(2).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical field of separatingmolecules or particles by using separator elements, generally referredto as “membranes”, adapted to separate molecules or particles containedin a fluid medium for treatment.

The subject matter of the invention finds a particularly advantageousapplication in the field of filtering (in the general sense) a fluidmedium for treatment, and in particular in the fields of nanofiltration,ultrafiltration, microfiltration, etc.

In conventional manner, a filter installation has a circuit forcirculating the fluid to be treated, said circuit being constituted bypipes, ducts, or more generally tubes, with at least one filter housingbeing inserted therein, the housing comprising a metal case havingdisposed therein tubular filter elements that extend parallel to oneanother. Each filter element has at least one flow channel for the fluidto be treated. The filter elements perform cross-flow filtering of thefluid to be treated in order to obtain a filtrate at the peripheralsurfaces of the filter elements, which filtrate is recovered in acollection chamber arranged outside the housing.

In traditional manner, the filter housing is connected at each of itsends to a tube via a coupling system, that is of a type that depends onthe application.

Thus, a first known type of coupling system is referred to as a “clamp”type and is in very widespread use in the food industry. Such a systemcomprises:

a clamp type flange provided with a tightening cone and mounted on thetube to be connected;

a backing-plate of the clamp type likewise provided with a tighteningcone and mounted on the filter housing;

a sealing gasket interposed between said flange and said backing-plate;and

tightening means of the clamp type constituted by a collar which isfitted over the tightening cones of the flange and the backing-plate inorder to compress the gasket and consequently provide sealing betweenthe tube and the filter housing.

A second type of coupling system is also known that is referred to as agripper type system and is used in particular in the farm-produceindustry, that is less expensive than the clamp type coupling system, inparticular, since it does not require clamping cones to be provided.

Such a gripper coupling system comprises:

a gripper type flange provided with a peripheral groove and fitted tothe tube for coupling;

a backing-plate of the gripper type likewise provided with a peripheralgroove and mounted on the filter housing;

a sealing member interposed between said flange and said backing-plate;and

gripper type tightening means distributed around said flange and saidbacking-plate in order to pinch the sealing member.

A third type of coupling system is also known, that is referred to as aflange type system which is used in particular in the field ofchemistry. Such a coupling system comprises:

a flange mounted on the tube to be connected;

a backing-plate mounted on the filter housing;

a flat gasket interposed between said flange and said backing-plate; and

flange type fasteners constituted by nuts and bolts acting between theflange and the backing-plate in order to compress the gasket andconsequently provide sealing.

It should be observed that it is necessary to have as many types ofhousing as there are types of coupling system. The Applicant has feltthe need to have a filter housing of universal nature, capable of beingmade independently of the coupling system that is used.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus seeks to satisfy this requirement byproposing a device enabling a tube to be connected to a filter housingusing the various known types of coupling system, while implementing auniversal type filter housing capable of being coupled to a tube usingthe various types of coupling system.

The subject matter of the invention thus seeks to achieve such an objectand relates to a device for using various types of coupling system toconnect a tube to a filter housing including a series of tubular filterelements, each coupling system of a given type comprising:

a flange of said type fitted to the tube;

a backing-plate of said type for connection to the filter housing;

a sealing member interposed between said flange and said backing-plate;and

tightening means of said type acting between said flange and saidbacking-plate in order to provide sealing between them.

According to the invention, the device comprises:

a head plate independent of the type of coupling system fixed to thehousing and provided with passages for receiving the ends of the tubularfilter elements, these passages opening out in a bearing face of thehead plate;

for each backing-plate of a given type, a first bearing facecomplementary to the bearing face of the head plate, and a secondbearing face adapted to co-operate with the flange of correspondingtype;

a sealing gasket interposed between the first bearing face of abacking-plate of a given type and the head plate; and

releasable connection means between the head plate and eachbacking-plate of a given type to provide sealing between them and toenable each backing-plate of a given type to be mounted on and removedfrom the head plate.

In a first variant embodiment, the backing-plate of a given type formspart of a clamp type coupling system.

In a second variant embodiment, the backing-plate of a given type formspart of a gripper type coupling system.

In a third variant embodiment, the backing-plate of a given type formspart of a flange type coupling system.

Other embodiments appear in the description below made with reference tothe accompanying drawings which show embodiments and implementations ofthe subject matter of the invention by way of non-limiting examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a connection device in accordance with theinvention implementing a clamp type coupling system.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a connection device in accordance with theinvention implementing a gripper type coupling system.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a connection device in accordance with theinvention implementing a flange type coupling system.

FIG. 4 is an end view of a head plate in accordance with the invention.

The subject matter of the invention relates to a device 1 for usingvarious types of coupling systems R_(i) to connect together a pipe, aduct, or in general terms a “tube” 2 forming part of a filterinstallation, and a filter system commonly referred to as a filterhousing 3. In conventional manner, the filter housing 3 is constitutedby a metal case 4 of generally tubular shape having mounted thereinfilter elements that are of generally tubular shape, not shown, butknown in themselves.

The description below relates to three types of coupling system R_(i)referenced R₁, R₂, and R₃, however it is clear that the subject matterof the invention can be implemented using other types of couplingsystem. It should be observed that for reasons of clarity, all of thecomponent elements of a coupling system R_(i) are given the index i.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a first coupling system R₁ which is of the clamp type. Sucha system R₁ comprises a flange B₁ of the clamp type fitted to the tube2. The flange B₁ of the clamp type is provided with a tightening cone 6whose function appears more clearly from the description below. Theclamp-type coupling system R₁ also comprises a backing-plate P₁ of theclamp type for connection to the filter housing 3. This backing-plate P₁of the clamp type is provided with a tightening cone 7 whose functionappears more clearly from the description below. A sealing member E₁such as a clamp-type gasket is interposed between said backing-plate P₁and said flange B₁. The clamp-type coupling system R₁ also comprisestightening means S₁ of the clamp type acting between the flange B₁ andthe backing-plate P₁ to provide sealing between them. These tighteningmeans S₁ are constituted by a clamping collar arranged with recesses 8and 9 that are complementary to the cones 6 and 7 respectively so thatthe gasket E₁ interposed between the transverse faces of the flange B₁and the backing-plate P₁ deform to provide sealing between them.

FIG. 2 shows a second coupling system R₂ of the gripper type. Such agripper coupling system R₂ comprises a flange B₂ of the gripper typefitted to the tube 2. The gripper type flange B₂ is provided with aperipheral groove 11 whose function is described in greater detailbelow. The gripper-type coupling system R₂ also has a backing-plate P₂of the gripper type for connection to the filter housing 3.

A sealing member E₂ such as a clamp-type gasket is interposed betweensaid backing-plate P₂ and said flange B₂. The coupling system R₂ alsohas tightening means of the gripper type S₂ acting between the flange B₂and the backing-plate P₂ to provide sealing between them. Thesetightening means S₂ are constituted by a series of grippers eachconstituted by two jaws 131, 132 driven in relative displacement bymeans of a screw 14. One of the jaws of a gripper is engaged in thegroove 11 of the flange B₂ while the other jaw acts on the backing-plateP₂.

FIG. 3 shows a third coupling system R₃ of the flange type. Such acoupling system R₃ comprises a flange B₃ of the fitted to the tube 2.Such a coupling system R₃ also comprises a backing-plate P₃ of theflange type designed to be connected to the filter housing 3. A sealingmember E₃ such as a flat gasket is interposed between said backing-plateP₃ and said flange B₃.

The flange-type coupling system R₃ also comprises tightening means S₃ ofthe fastener type acting between said flange B₃ and said backing-plateP₃ to provide sealing between them. These tightening means S₃ areconstituted, by way of example, by a series of bolts 15 engaged in holesformed in the periphery of the backing-plate P₃ and the flange B₃ so asto co-operate with nuts 16.

The various coupling systems R_(i), i.e. R₁, R₂, and R₃ in the examplesgiven above are not described in greater detail insofar as they are wellknown in the art.

In accordance with the invention, the connection device 1 is adapted toconnect a tube 2 to the housing 3 using any one of the coupling systemsR_(i). In other words, the filter housing 3 of the invention can beconnected to the tube 2 equally well by any one of the coupling systemsR_(i). For this purpose, the filter housing 3 is provided with a headplate 21 that is independent of the type of coupling system R_(i). Whenthe filter housing 3 is designed to be connected at both ends to arespective tube 2, each end of the filter housing 3 is provided withsuch a head plate 21.

As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 4, each head plate 21 is providedwith passages 22 for receiving one end of a respective tubular filterelement. In the example shown, each of the passages 22 possesses a rightcross-section that is circular and each of them is designed to receive asealing ring. Each of the passages 22 passes through the head plate 21so as to open out in a bearing face 23 of the head plate 21. Thisbearing face 23 is thus on the outside relative to the filter housing 3.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each backing-plate P_(i)presents a first bearing face 25 complementary to the bearing face 23 ofthe head plate 21 so that interposing a gasket 28 between them canenable sealing to be obtained between the head plate 21 and thebacking-plate P_(i). In other words, the bearing faces 23 and 25 arecomplementary in the sense that co-operation between them via a gasketenables a leaktight assembly to be obtained. Each backing-plate P_(i)also has a second bearing face 29 opposite from its first bearing faceand adapted to co-operate with the flange B_(i) of corresponding type.In other words, the second bearing face 29 possesses knowncharacteristics in order to match the corresponding flange B_(i) andobtain sealing. Naturally, each backing-plate P_(i) of a given typeincludes a series of holes (not shown) each arranged to coincide withone of the passages 22 for receiving the ends of the tubular filterelements so as to allow the fluid that is to be treated to pass.

The connection device 1 of the invention also has dismountableconnection means 30 between the head plate 21 and each backing-plateP_(i) in order to provide sealing between them and in order to alloweach backing-plate P_(i) to be mounted on or removed from the head plate21. These releasable connection means 30 are constituted by screws,flanges, grippers, or the like co-operating with the head plate 21 andany one of the backing-plates P_(i). In the example shown, thereleasable connection means 30 are constituted by screws 31 distributedaround the periphery of the head plate 21 and designed to be screwedinto tapped holes 32 formed in each backing-plate P_(i).

It should therefore be understood that the filter housing 3 of theinvention can be fitted equally well with any one of the known couplingsystems R_(i). The backing-plate P_(i) of each coupling system R_(i) issuitable for being mounted on the head plate 21 of the filter housing 3by the releasable connection means 30.

According to a preferred implementation characteristic, the tighteningmeans S₁ of the clamp type are constituted by an asymmetrical clampingcollar enabling a tube 2 to be connected having a diameter that isdifferent from the diameter of the filter housing 3. For this purpose,the tightening cones 6, 7 and consequently the recesses 8, 9 in thecollar are of different diameters, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for using various types of couplingsystem (R₁) to connect a tube (2) to a filter housing (3) including aseries of tubular filter elements, each coupling system (R₁) of a giventype comprising: a flange (B₁) of said type fitted to the tube (2); abacking-plate (P₁) of said type for connection to the filter housing; asealing member (E₁) interposed between said flange (B₁) and saidbacking-plate (P₁); and tightening means (S₁) of said type actingbetween said flange and said backing-plate in order to provide sealingbetween them, the device being characterized in that it comprises: ahead plate (21) independent of the type of coupling system (R₁) fixed tothe housing (3) and provided with passages (22) for receiving the endsof the tubular filter elements, these passages (22) opening out in abearing face (23) of the head plate; for each backing-plate (P₁) of agiven type, a first bearing face (25) complementary to the bearing face(23) of the head plate (21), and a second bearing face (29) adapted toco-operate with the flange (B₁) of corresponding type; a sealing gasket(28) interposed between the first bearing face (25) of a backing-plate(P₁) of a given type and the head plate (21); and releasable connectionmeans (30) between the head plate (21) and each backing-plate (P₁) of agiven type to provide sealing between them and to enable eachbacking-plate (P₁) of a given type to be mounted on and removed from thehead plate (21).
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in abacking-plate (P₁) of a given type forms part of a clamp type couplingsystem (R₁).
 3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that abacking-plate (P₂) of a given type forms part of a gripper type couplingsystem (R₂).
 4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that abacking-plate (P₃) of a given type forms part of a flange type couplingsystem (R₄).
 5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in thateach backing-plate (P₁) of a given type has a series of holes eacharranged to coincide with the passages (22) receiving the ends of thetubular filter elements.
 6. A device according to claim 1, characterizedin that the releasable connection means (30) are constituted by screws,clamps, grippers, or the like co-operating with the head plate (21) andeach backing-plate (P₁) of a given type.
 7. A device according to claim2, characterized in that the backing-plate (P₁) of the clamp typeco-operates with a flange (B₁) of the clamp type via tightening means(S₁) constituted by an asymmetrical clamping collar enabling a tube (2)of one diameter to be connected to a filter housing (3) of a differentdiameter.
 8. A filter installation including a tube (2) connected to afilter housing (3) by means of a connection device (1) according toclaim
 1. 9. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that eachbacking-plate (P₁) of a given type has a series of holes each arrangedto coincide with the passages (22) receiving the ends of the tubularfilter elements.
 10. A device according to claim 3, characterized inthat each backing-plate (P₁) of a given type has a series of holes eacharranged to coincide with the passages (22) receiving the ends of thetubular filter elements.
 11. A device according to claim 4,characterized in that each backing-plate (P₁) of a given type has aseries of holes each arranged to coincide with the passages (22)receiving the ends of the tubular filter elements.
 12. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim
 2. 13. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim
 3. 14. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim
 4. 15. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim
 5. 16. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim
 6. 17. A filterinstallation including a tube (2) connected to a filter housing (3) bymeans of a connection device (1) according to claim 7.